US Skins...A weaker clone of the original

MTV Shows

Looking at this trailer for the new US adaptation of Skins I am filled with rage and sadness. I use the word "adaption" in the loosest of terms. What I should say is clone. This new version has the same names (mostly), stereotypes of characters, and storylines. Does changing one thing about a character constitute an adaption instead of a clone?

As a big fan of the UK version (I have the first three seasons from itunes) I am filled with sadness, because this new version seems to be a carbon copy of the original, minus the accents. The oh so wise, Tyra Banks once said, "if you are going to steal from someone, you need to make it better." Well, even though Jamie Britton (one of the creators of the original UK version) is a writer and executive producer he doesn't seem to bring anything new to the table and that is a huge disappointment.  My sadness is then followed by rage. Rage for the simple fact that the writers and producers weren't able to come up with an original story line for this new version, they had to blatantly steal the old one? 

Let me recap for you.
Tony, our lead male, needs to make his best friend, Sid...I mean Stan, lose his virginity strictly on the basis that if Stan is a virgin Tony can't be friends with him. (Are you kidding?) And Tony's slutty girlfriend offers to help by getting her psychology damaged friend Cassie...opps, I mean Katie, so fucked up that all she would just have to lie there, flowing in and out of conscience, while Stan "does his business." Now, let me check something...hold please...looking it up...here it is...yes, I was right...that is commonly referred to as "rape." (Rest assured readers, Spoiler alert, Stan doesn't rape Katie because she passes out, and being the upstanding virgin that he is, he gets the gang to steal a car and drive Katie to the hospital.) And then of course you have all the other characters, with their drug addictions, pressure to be prefect, pregnancy scares, discovery of sexuality and of course, the all encompassing "who am I, and who do I want to be?"

Look at what MTV says about Skins.
As much fun as it is to watch the hi-jinks of the pretty young (and rich) things of the Upper East Side every week, it's sometimes hard to relate to the rarefied world of Serena van der Woodsen and co. I mean, who has that many syllables in their surname? If you've been pining for a teen series that's grittier and more grounded in reality, let me introduce you to MTV's new series "Skins."

Don't even get me started on this ridiculous fucking statement. I can't...I won't...I need to take cool down moment. 

Here, for your viewing pleasure, I have some videos for you to watch while I "chill out" and let my rage lessen. A little, compare and contrast situation for you. Tell me what you think in the comments below.

Look at this trailer for the US version:
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Now look at this from the UK version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlSaMD9Slio


Thoughts? Questions? Comments? Leave them below.

Dear MTV

Please end the misery that is the Real World franchise. The show is a dying horse. Pull the trigger and let's end this.

Joey

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Covert Affairs (Alias' little, less attractive sister)

When Alias came out years ago, America fell in love with Jennifer Gardner. After its cancellation (Thanks ABC) television has been looking for a new hot female spy to step into the stiletto boots of one, Sydney Bristo. And that woman just might be Piper Perabo. Now, there is isn't double agenting going on at this current moment, but that doesn't leave us short on drama. People getting killed, people seducing, flirting, drinking, car chases, etc. Its all here.
My only complaint, so far, is that in DC, the underground public transportation system is called the METRO, not the subway. The fact that they have a chase scene that ends in the Subway completely ruined the fact that this show is suppose to take place in the nation's capital, which also happens to be in my backyard (give or take 40 miles). I have been on the Metro and it has never been that clean, well lit, or had a sign that said "subway." Aside from that one large mistake, the show is pretty interesting. Its certainly not going to win any Emmy's but its worth the time if you want to waste an hour watching Piper run around in heels and fight deadly Russian assassins. Its all very fun.

And because you deserve it.

Teen Wolf? Really MTV?

So, MTV announced today that they have commissioned a television drama based on the 80's Teen Wolf movies. From what I extracted from the article, it will follow a loner werewolf as he courts the popular loner girl. She has a best friend and he has an older brother who likes to cause trouble. Interesting. What a novel idea? MTV is on to something...wait, haven't I seen this before? Oh, yeah, The CW's Vampire Diaries. It is the exact same show. Just switch out the words vampire for werewolf and you have a carbon copy.

As someone who works in the biz, I know that there are no original ideas. But if you are going to steal someone's idea, you have to make it better. I don't want this post to turn into a rant on how everything in Hollywood is formulated and if you switch one or two elements you can pitch a brand new show (The City, anyone?) because that is not what this is meant for. I just am fed up with this unrequited love affair between some mortal girl and a supernatural monster with a soul. Let's be honest. It was cutting edge when Joss Whedon did it in the 90's with Buffy the Vampire Slayer. At least then, when Buffy fell in love with Angel (a vampire, who happens to have a soul) she had an obligation to kill him and chose not to. But the love stories in recent pop culture, modern girl falls for bruiting vampire are just so sickening. If we learned anything from Romeo and Juliet, its that if two kids from two worlds fall in love, the chances of them ending up unhappy and dead are very likely. (Both Angel and Buffy during the series.)

On a different note, I am extremely excited about MTV adapting the UK's Skins for our domestic viewers. If you have been following this blog for some time, you know that I am a huge fan of this show. Originally created by a father and son team in the UK, this show centers around the lives of teenagers in Bristol. But the real great thing about it is that the actors are all the actual ages they are portraying and the show is written with the help of teenagers. So it actually reflects life, to a certain extent. This is tv we are talking about.

The Deep End

Originally sold as Grey's Anatomy meets LA Law. And I must say, it is a great throwback to what Grey's used to be before the actors got all demanding and started getting killed off, in slow stupid ways. (Nobody gets hit by a car anymore? Or shot when an angry widower who brings a grudge and a gun into Seattle Grace? That's good tv.) But I digress, back to the point.

ABC's new drama has heart, comedy, drama, and of course sex. The sex scenes could be more steamy, but I kind of like how the show is starting off slow. Teasing us a little.

From the first episode, you begin to care about the characters and are interested in their stories. That kind of attention capture is important for the audience. We feel like we are sitting in a car, that just hits the gas and keeps going. There is no time to slow down. Explanations come in 30 second intervals and in hush whispers. This catches the audience up so we know what the hell is going on, but it also keeps the backstory quite, which is where backstory belongs. And it doesn't give away too much, too early.

My recommendation: tune in and be prepared to enjoy yourself.

White Collar

This is my pick of the week

Neal Caffery is a convicted felon serving time in jail for forgery. Until, he decides to break out. He is later captured by FBI agent Peter Burke, the man who captured him the first time. Neal gives Peter a hint that helps solve a case he has been working for months. A week later, Neal is released into Peter’s custody to help the FBI catch criminals. It takes the phrase “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.” to a whole new level.

The show’s main focus is on felon Neal and his FBI partner Peter Burke. They have this very odd couple feel. One likes rules, the other loves to break them. The pilot episode sets up the whole working situation that I am sure later episodes will find great use of in different schemes.

We have added mystery, when we learn that Neal broke out of prison to find his wife, who has mysteriously vanished. Through Neal’s old crime friends, we find out that his wife in San Francisco, but is she with another man? It appears so? Is she with him willingly? That has yet to be determined. But something tells me Neal won’t give up looking for her, until she is back in his arms.

The first and biggest is the writing is great. They dialog is quick. The scenarios are slightly more believable in this show, then say, Fringe or Gray’s Anatomy. The whole dynamic of a criminal who turns to the good side, while still retaining his bad side true self, is compelling to watch and extremely entertaining.